Point of View

Heartburn by Nora Ephron is written in the first person from the point of view of the main character, Rachel Samstat. The novel is a narrative of the six weeks in Rachel's life that encompass the downfall of her marriage. The first person narrative is extremely important in this novel as it gives the reader insight into what Samstat is thinking and feeling. The reader is able to see the main character progress during this time. At first Rachel is filled with self-pity, wondering what she has done to cause her husband to cheat. Gradually Rachel begins to feel stronger about herself and puts the blame on her husband, where it belongs.

The novel is mainly a dialogue between the reader and the main character, as Rachel Samstat details her life as if in conversation. There are small parts of dialogue between characters, which allows the...